Vehicles powered by internal combustion engines may be operated in an air restriction mode to increase the temperature of a exhaust gas from the engine. For example, the vehicle may include a particulate filter for filtering particulate matter from the exhaust gas. When the engine is a diesel engine, the particulate filter is commonly referred to as a diesel particulate filter. The particulate filter collects the particulate matter. Periodically, the particulate filter must be regenerated. Regeneration of the particulate filter includes heating the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to burn the particulate matter collected in the particulate filter, which converts the particulate matter to carbon dioxide. In order to regenerate the particulate filter, the engine may operate in the air restriction mode, commonly referred to as a regeneration mode, wherein the engine is controlled to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas to heat the particulate filter. For example, the engine may be controlled to restrict the flow of intake air into the combustion chamber of the engine, thereby increasing the temperature of the exhaust gas.
The vehicle may also include an oxidation catalyst for oxidizing unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust of the engine. The oxidation catalyst must be heated to a light-off temperature in order to oxidize the unburned hydrocarbons. Accordingly, the engine may also operate in the air restriction mode to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas to heat the oxidation catalyst.
The acceleration of the vehicle is hindered when the engine is operating in the air restriction mode, i.e., when the flow of intake air is restricted to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas. Accordingly, when the engine is operating in the air restriction mode, the acceleration of the vehicle is less responsive then when the engine is not operating in the air restriction mode.